Dart toy



March 29, 1960 w. F. HELLMAN 2,930,161

DART Irox:

Filed Feb. 17. 195e ENTOR.

United States Pate DART TOY Werner F. Hellman, Chicago, Ill. Application February 11, 195s, serial No. 715,537

1 Claim. (Cl. 46-84) This invention relates to a dart toy.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a dart toy which is adapted to be projected through the air and caused to turn or spin while in ilight.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dart toy having propeller like blades and a suction cup, which dart is caused to spin or rotate during Hight and which can be accurately aimed and accurately directed at a target surface.

Another object of this invention is to provide a toy ofthe foregoing character which is inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects will become apparent as this description progresses.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front view of the dart member.V

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the dart member.

Fig. 3 is a side view partly in cross section ofthe dart member and the windup member.l f

Fig. 4 is a front view of the windup member.

Fig. 5 is a side view partly in cross section of the dart member.

Fig. 6 is a front view of a modiiied form of dart member, and

Fig. 7 is a side view of Fig. 6.

The toy dart member generally indicated at 9Comprises a circular hollow body portion generally lindicated at 10 having a conical shape front`12, an annular wall 14 and a at rear wall 16, all of which may be formed of plastic. A rubber suction cup 18 is secured to the conical front in any desired manner. As shown, the rear of the suction cup has an extension or neck 20 which is inserted in a central opening 22 in the conical front 12 and the end of the extension is enlarged as at 24 to prevent removal of the suction cup.

Extending radially from the annular wall 14 are three spaced blades 26 having opposite fiat surfaces which are inclined at approximately an angle of 45 as best shown in Fig. 3. Extending rearwardly of the rear wall 16 is a stem 28. The rear wall 16 is provided with three spaced holes 30 adjacent said stem and is also provided with three circumferentially spaced inclined recesses 32, each of which is inclined to provide a deep portion 34 which inclines upwardly as at 36.

A windup member generally indicated at 38 is used for the purpose of projecting the dart. The windup member is inserted on the stem 28 of the dart, as best shown in Fig. 3. The windup member 28 comprises a circular body 39 having a central bore 40 within which is secured a coil spring 42. The upper end Vof the coil spring is suitably anchored as at 43 to the body of the windup i member. TheV lower end of the coil spring 42 extends below the bottom of thebody of the windup member and is provided with a hooked end 44 which engages any one of the circular openings 30 so that as the windup member 1s rotated the coil spring 42 is tensioned. The windup member 38 is provided with a spring biased plunger 46 which overrides the recesses 32 when it is Wound andV permits rotation of the windup member in one direction, namely clockwise, but prevents rotation in the opposite direction.

With the windup member 38 on the stem, as shown in Fig. 3, the dart member 9- is held Stationary with one Ice ` windup member with respect to the dart by engagement rotation of the windup member.

with any of the recesses 32 to prevent counterclockwise The end of the stem 28 projects outwardly of the top of the windup member. The unit is thus ready so that the dart member 9 may be aimed at a target surface which may be a wall surface or a game` board or the like. By holding the windup member 38 and pressing the stem 28,7the dart 9 is released from the windup member and at the ins-tant of its release is caused to spin or rotate in a counterclockwise rotation and to continue `such spinning rotation throughout its flight and until it strikes thetarget Where through the suction cup 18 it is caused to adhere to the.

The propeller shaped blades 26 v will cause the dart to continue its rotation and spinning throughout its ight and that the centrifugal force, caused Y by the very fast rotation will keep the dart travelling in surfacel of the target.

an absolutely straight line direction so that if the dart has been properly aimed before it is released it will strike the proper area on the target. Thus with proper skill the dart can be made to strike the proper target area. By increasing the length of the propeller blades speed of travel of the dart is reduced.

Figs. 6 and 7 show a modified form of dart or projectile. It is identicalin all respects to the dart or projectile 9 heretofore described but is additionally provided with a ring 48 on the outer edges of the blades 26a and concentric with the annular Wall 14a of the body. The

' ring 48 has the same width as the annular wall 14a of the body. The ring 48 may be integrally formed wit-h the blades 26a. The `ring 48 serves to` prevent exposure of any of the sharp edges of the blades. Y

It will be understood that'various changes and modifications may be made from the foregoing without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a toy-comprising a ldart having a circular hollow body with a conical shaped front anda flat rear wall, a suction cup secured to said conical shaped front to extend forwardly thereof, a plurality of blades extending radially of said body, engageable means on said flat rear Wall, a stem extending rearwardly of said body portion,

la windup member having a central openingV adapted to receive the stem and having spring means engaging the engageable means to tension said spring upon manual rotation of said windup member, said windup member having a spring biased plunger engaging the flat rear wall of said body outwardly of said engageable means to `re-kV v vsist counter rotation of said dart, said'stem projecting rearwardly of said windup member so as to be manually engaged by the finger of a persons hand, said dart being released by pressing said stem with the iinger to cause said dart to be projected forwardly in a rotating manner to a target surface, said blades having opposite flat surfaces and inclined at an angle for the purpose of directi ing said dart in a substantially straight line toward a. target surface.

References Cited in the le of this patentV UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,645,702 Ischinger oct. 1s, 1927 2,068,306 Weinberg Ian. 19, 1937 2,148,442 n `Dawson Feb. 28, y1939 2,799,120 Pitton July 16, 1957 p 2,807,469 Swartz Sept. 24, 1957 2,808,820 Haley Oct. 8, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Y ,Italy May 15, 1954 Patentedy Mar. 2 9, 1960` 26 the 

